There will be some days when you notice that your Mac is not performing as great as it did when you just bought it. Of course, expecting to avoid technical issues is more or less futile because every computer is bound to start underperforming after a while.
The more important thing is how you deal with the problem. Especially if you are one of those people who would rather fix the problem themselves than take the computer to the service store and wait for who knows how long until they fix the problem.
If your experience with Macbook is still relatively low, you should find these tips quite useful. And remember that the more of them you implement in your maintenance routine, the better off you will be.
Table of Contents
Tip #1 – Remove Junk Data
Junk data accumulates over time before you know it. The issue may not seem like that big of a deal, but files like app plugins, extensions, as well as old backups and other useless junk should be removed on a regular basis.
You have two methods. Use a cleanup utility tool or do everything manually. The latter is a bit tricky as you will have to change system settings and create backups as there is a chance of you deleting something by accident.
Using cleanup software sounds like an easier solution. It will do all the work automatically. You will only have to press a few buttons. Read a review or two about some of the best available cleanup utility tools and pick one that suits you the most in terms of price, features, or anything else you might be looking for in such software.
Tip #2 – Free up Hard Drive Space
Hard drives happen to cause the most headache to a number of users. The available storage space is not enough, and it is no surprise that a number of performance problems stem from hard drive mismanagement.
Do not end up with only a few gigabytes of free space. If you notice that you are running out of storage, consider:
- Deleting applications you no longer use.
- Transferring some data to external storage devices and clouds.
- Subscribing to streaming platforms, so you do not have to keep large media files on the computer.
- Getting rid of useless files like email attachments or downloads.
Having more available storage will give the system an extra breathing room, and the performance of the computer will not suffer as much.
Tip #3 – Clean Dust and Dirt Inside
Clean the dust and dirt inside the computer at least once every few months. You will see how much of a difference it will make. Both in terms of performance and reducing the loud noise coming from internal fans.
Tip #4 – Scan for Potential Cybersecurity Threats
There are a lot of different cybersecurity threats, and you cannot be certain whether your computer is protected or not. A reliable antivirus should do more than enough as it detects and deletes potential threats immediately.
However, it would still be worth considering acting more careful with the links that seem shady. Enabling the firewall and adding an ad block extension to the browser will also help with reducing the potential risks.
Tip #5 – Trim up Startup Item List
Reducing the number of startup applications will improve the loading speed of the Mac. Restarts are recommended to prevent memory leaks, and you should restart the system every few hours for more optimal performance.
So if you are looking to get more out of Mac’s performance, there is no reason to have random applications load every time you boot the computer. You can launch the application when you actually need to use it.
Tip #6 – Declutter Desktop
Declutter desktop. Never get into the habit of keeping all your files on it since every icon will consume resources of the system. These files should be relocated to a proper location and kept in an organized fashion. This way, you will not have problems finding what you need. And in case you are struggling with locating a particular file, remember that your Macbook has a search feature.
Tip #7 – Manage Applications
Launch Activity Monitor tool and find out which processes are consuming the most resources. Sort by CPU or memory usage and consider how you can reduce the burden of your computer system.
There ought to be some replaceable apps or even ones you can remove from the system completely.
Internet browsers are a good example. If you are having problems with your current browser, try installing something else and see how its performance compares to what you have been using until this point. If there is a significant difference between the resource usage, but the browser still does its job, then sticking to the change is clearly a better choice.